NHTSA Complaint #10098416 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

MY HUSBAND, MY SON, AND MYSELF WERE ON OUR WAY HOME LAST TUESDAY EVENING AND THE AIRBAGS ON OUR 1995 FORD WINDSTAR DEPLOYED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THIS WAS A VERY FREIGHTING AND STRESSFUL SITUATION. WE HAD JUST TURNED OFF ONE ROAD ONTO THE NEXT MAKING OUR WAY HOME WHEN THE AIRBAGS BURST OUT AND CAUSED SEVERAL INJURIES TO MY HUSBAND AND ME. MY HUSBAND HAS POWDER RESIDUE BURNS ON HIS FACE, HIS ARMS ARE CUT FROM THE WRIST UP. HE RECENTLY SUFFERED A STROKE AND THIS HAS CAUSED A LOT OF MENTAL STRESS AS WELL AS PAIN. X-RAYS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT HIS HAND IS NOT BROKEN. I HAD HEART SURGERY IN AUGUST AND DID NOT NEED THIS KIND OF SCARE. I HEAR AN ECHO IN MY RIGHT EAR NOW FROM THE LOUD EXPLOSION FROM THE AIRBAGS. I AM AFRAID TO RIDE IN ANY VEHICLE WITH FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAGS. I CALLED 9-1-1 TO FIND OUT IF AN OFFICER NEEDED TO COME AND INVESTIGATE AND TROOPER WILLIAMS TOLD ME THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT HE COULD NOT DO ANY TYPE OF REPORT. WE HAVE MANY WITNESSES THAT SAW OUR VAN AND THE EXTREME DAMAGE THAT IT DID TO THE HOOD RESULTING IN THE SIGNAL LIGHT FLYING OFF THE VAN WHICH WE STILL HAVE NOT FOUND AND THE HEADLIGHTS BARELY HANGING ON. THE HOOD IS BOWED UP FROM THE UNDER SIDE. WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND ALSO TOOK THE VAN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT INSPECTED TO FIND OUT WHY THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHEN NO ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THEY ARE JUST AS PUZZLED. I NEED AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED LIKE THEY DID WHILE WE WERE DEPLOYING OUT OF THE BLUE. THE WINDSTAR IS OUR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND I FEEL LIKE FORD NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. IF MY HUSBAND WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIS HANDS OF THE STEERING WHEEL, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE DEAD NOW. *JB